The Flash - S1.19 "Who Is Harrison Wells?"

By Keifer Knight

The Flash continues with the team ups from Arrow with Captain and Laurel Lance guest starring in a pinnacle episode, that starts to put the pieces of this season together on “Who is Harrison Wells?” Even though last week’s Flash took a little while to get momentum, this week’s episode started where last week’s left off and simply kept going!

**SPOILERS ALERT**

This week’s main storyline continued to focus on proving that Dr. Wells is the Reverse Flash, and Barry’s Mom’s murderer. Team Flash (Barry, Joe, Caitlin & Cisco) including Eddie Thawne now, was piecing together what they believed and what they could prove about the Reverse Flash. I liked seeing that there was some discord within the team. Even though I know the back story for Reverse Flash, I too wouldn’t just believe a paralyzed Wells to be a speedster and murderer because of circumstantial evidence. I liked that Caitlin was asking the hard questions, and having such difficulty going along with the team.

Detective West hopes more answers can be found in Starling City. It is there that Wells’ accident occurred, and where he lost the love of his life. West believes there is more to it than that and he and Cisco head out to find those answers. Along the way they get caught up in the father/daughter Lance battle taking place currently in Arrow.

Even though there wasn’t a lot of reason to include Captain Lance or Laurel in the story for that matter, I thought the team ups were MOST entertaining. It was good to see Detective West and Captain Lance talk shop, bond, and even share some fatherly wisdom about daughters that are so close to, both in their professional and personal lives. I think some advice Joe gave to Quentin was, “Sometimes we lie for love, especially for family.” I hope Captain Lance takes these words to heart, and has a real conversation with his daughter. Maybe we will see this on this week’s Arrow.

On the other side of the team ups, Cisco was trying to play it cool when Laurel told him they had mutual friends of John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, and Oliver Queen. Points to him on the fan-boy crush when Laurel admits to being the Black Canary. Extra points for maneuvering his way into getting a picture with the Black Canary, and really all Cisco had to do was improve her tech. He did what Cisco does. He made Laurel what he called the Canary Cry. Something I hope we get to see in this week’s Arrow.

Back in Central City, Barry and Eddie teamed up together when a new meta-human shape-shifting criminal surfaced. Hannibal Bates is able to become anyone with a touch. This allowed sufficient distraction for the Central City team, especially Caitlin who was still very confused whether or not to trust Dr. Wells.

When Bates took on the persona of Eddie, he used his gun to shoot two officers. Eddie was placed under arrest with little hope of freedom. For me, this was the first episode that I found myself caring about Eddie Thawne. Before this episode, I really could care less about him. Tonight, he became part of Team Flash, and I found myself cheering for him.

It went from disturbing to awkward when Bates took on Barry’s persona not knowing that he was the Flash. I found it less and less plausible that no one suspected the more the false Barry talked with Iris, or more importantly the way he maneuvered his way into kissing Caitlin. This was easily the most awkward moment of the night. A close second though was Iris’ arrival to S.T.A.R. Labs immediately following the kiss.

Like most every episode, Team Flash finds a weakness to the meta-human, and the Flash is able to defeat Bates, and clear Eddie’s name. Another notable moment is that Iris and Eddie got back together following his incarceration.

I am finding myself understanding the episodic formula, but for me, I really care about the overall season storyline. In Starling City, West, Cisco, and Lance search for clues, They find the body of Harrison Wells, killed years earlier and buried where the car accident happened. The proof Caitlin was so desperately looking for but, was hoping didn’t exist. So now the question becomes, who has Caitlin and Cisco been working for?

One more revelation takes place this evening that leaves Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco with so many more questions. Cisco was looking through the schematics of S.T.A.R. Labs looking to see if Wells had anything else to hide. It is then that they find his lair with the Reverse Flash suit, and more importantly the Flash’s future CRISIS in 2024.

This is a perfect ending pushing this season’s story further and further along. The lines are drawn… there is no more hiding for the Reverse Flash. Next week, the end game begins for the Reverse Flash. Man this show moves at super speed with not only this story line, but we know Grodd is coming, and I believe more of the Rogues, and more team ups with Oliver Queen and F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. May sweeps is really coming! Join us for the rest of this ride with The Flash.